香港六合彩即时开奖

Tokyo Imperial Palace, tokyo, japan
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Imperial Palace

Top choice in Tokyo


The Imperial Palace occupies the site of the original Edo-j艒, the Tokugawa shogunate's castle. In its heyday this was the largest fortress in the world, though little remains today apart from the moat and stone walls. Most of the 3.4-sq-km complex is off limits, as this is the emperor's home, but join one of the free tours organised by the to see a small part of the inner compound. Surrounding the palace is K艒kyo-gaien, a 115-hectare national garden, which includes public green spaces, moats and museums. The pretty East Gardens are open to the public all year round, and can be entered without a guide.

History

In its heyday, Edo-j艒 was the largest fortress in the world. When the shogunate fell and the emperor moved to Tokyo, the castle became the imperial residence 鈥 K艒kyo. Much of it was destroyed by fires in 1873 and construction on a new palace was finished in 1888.

WWII air raids levelled most of the palace and the current ferro-concrete buildings, done in Japanese modernist style, were completed in the 1960s. The central building, which contains the throne room, Matsu-no-Ma (Pine Chamber), is called the 碍测奴诲别苍. The low-slung structure is surprisingly modest 鈥 at least from what can be seen on public tours.

The moats and imposing stone walls visible around the perimeter of the palace grounds belonged to the original castle.

Touring the palace

Tours (lasting around 1录 hours) run at 10am and 1.30pm usually on Tuesday to Saturday, but not on public holidays or mornings from late July through to the end of August. They're also not held at all from 28 December to 4 January or when Imperial Court functions are scheduled. Arrive no later than 10 minutes before the scheduled departure time at 碍颈办测艒-尘辞苍, the starting and ending point.

Reservations are taken 鈥 via , phone or by post 鈥 up to a month in advance (and no later than four days in advance via the website). Alternatively, go to the office at 碍颈办测艒-尘辞苍 (open 8.45am until noon and 1pm to 5pm) where you can book for a tour up to seven days in advance; if there is space available on that day's tours, you'll be able to register. Bring photo ID.

The tour will take you past the present palace (碍测奴诲别苍), a modest low-rise building completed in 1968 that replaced the one built in 1888, which was largely destroyed during WWII. Explanations are given only in Japanese; download the free app (www.kunaicho.go.jp/e-event/app.html) for explanations in English, Chinese, Korean, French or Spanish.

If you're not on the tour, head to the southwest corner of K艒kyo-gaien Plaza to view two bridges 鈥 the iron 狈颈箩奴-产补蝉丑颈 and the stone Megane-bashi. Behind the bridges rises the Edo-era Fushimi-yagura watchtower.

The main park of the verdant palace grounds is the Imperial Palace East Garden, which is open to the public for free without reservations, though entry numbers are limited. You must take a token upon arrival and return it at the end of your visit.


香港六合彩即时开奖's must-see attractions

Nearby Tokyo attractions

1. 碍测奴诲别苍

0.02 MILES

These 1960s ferro-concrete buildings, done in Japanese modernist style, are home to Japan's emperor and family. The central building contains the throne鈥

2. Fushimi-yagura

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This keep, constructed in 1559, once stood on the grounds of Kyoto's since-destroyed Fushimi Castle. It was dismantled and reassembled at Edo-j艒 by鈥

3. 狈颈箩奴-产补蝉丑颈

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This metal bridge, built in 1888 and within the grounds of the Imperial Palace, was formerly a wooden bridge with two levels, from which its name (meaning鈥

4. Megane-bashi

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Meaning 'Eyeglass Bridge', this stone bridge from 1888, which can be viewed from the K艒kyo-gaien Plaza, is so nicknamed because its support arches鈥

5. Sakurada-mon

0.27 MILES

Built in 1636 (and partially restored after the Great Kant艒 Earthquake in 1923), this is one of the Imperial Palace gates that was part of the original鈥

6. 碍颈办测艒-尘辞苍

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碍颈办测艒-尘辞苍 is one of the main original gates to Edo-j艒. This is the departure point for official tours of parts of the Imperial Palace grounds.

7. Imperial Palace East Garden

0.33 MILES

Crafted from part of the original castle compound, these lovely free gardens allow you to get close-up views of the massive stones used to build the鈥

8. K艒kyo-gaien Plaza

0.33 MILES

This wide grassy expanse, in the southeast corner of K艒kyo-gaien, has roughly 2000 immaculately maintained Japanese black pine trees that were planted in鈥